10/04/2018
EBIRA TRADITIONAL
MARRIAGE RITE.
The Ebira (also spelt Igbira or Igbirra) are
an ethno-linguistic group of Nigeria. Ebira
(Tao) is a tribe in Kogi state in the
Northern part of Nigeria with a population
of 1.5milllions inhabitants. Many Ebira
people are from Kogi State, Kwara State,
Nasarawa State, Federal Capital Territory
– Abuja, Edo, Okene, Okehi, Adavi and
Ajaokuta. Okene is said to be the
administrative centre of the Ebira-
speaking people in Kogi state, not far
from the Niger-Benue confluence. The
word Ebira means behavior when
translated literally, with ethics and
hospitality as compliments.
Ebira people are peace loving and
accommodating and their hospitality
nature has been the reason why many
people from different part of the country
considered the area as their second
home. Ebira land is a blessed area rich in
solid mineral resources and economically
viable for any type of business.
Ebira (Igbirra) people have unique
features of their culture with its ethnic
aestheticism that can be appreciated
most in the event of traditional
marriages.
Marriage Custom
When a man sees a lady he intends to
marry, he discusses his intentions with
her, and if she is interested, asks him to
bring his people to express his intentions
to her parents.
In respect to the Ebira tradition, the man
does not walk to the parents of the
woman to disclose his intentions; his
parents or elders mostly the women do
this, by going to the lady’s parents to
introduce themselves and also to inform
them of their reason for coming to the
house.
After this is done, the parents of the lady
then conduct a thorough investigation on
the upbringing, background, family history
and so on, of the intending groom to
unravel any history of madness, terminal
diseases or criminality in the man’s
family. This is with a view to deciding
whether or not to give their daughter’s
hand in marriage to a family with a
tainted reputation in the society. If their
findings are appreciable, an approval is
given to the man to visit the bride-to- be
from time to time to get to know
themselves properly.
A date is chosen for the formal
introduction of both families and this is
called “Ise Ewere” which means ‘what has
been in secret is now in the open’. During
the celebration, there is usually the
presentation of gift items made by the
family of the groom to the family of the
bride.
The gift items usually include:
1. 42 tubers of yam
2. Hot drinks / Assorted wines /
Minerals
3. Kolanut
4. Walking stick
5. Dried fish or bush meat
6. 10 liters of palm oil
7. Bag of salt
8. Palm oil
9. Groundnut oil
10. Clothing materials in some boxes
11. Jewelries and Adornment for the
lady
12. Cash for the clan members and
family elders
13. The groom may also decide to present
two wrappers to his bride-to-be but this
is optional.
On the day of introduction, it is not
necessary that the man attends the
occasion as his family members do the
necessary things on his behalf. The bride’s
family in turn, entertains the groom’s
family with food and drinks. The families
interact with one another and formally
introduce every member of both families.
After this is done, the date for the
Traditional marriage is fixed. The tubers of
yam and other items brought are
distributed to neighbors and members of
the extended family. A lot of significance
is given to this, to solicit for their prayers
for a happy marriage as well as to ensure
the acknowledgement of the community
that the lady now has someone she
intends to get married to.
The amount to be collected as bride price
is also agreed upon by the parents of the
bride and it depends to a large extent, on
the financial strength of the man. Apart
from the bride price, there are other
things like “ozemeiyi” that is “I am
attracted to her” which a certain amount
of money is attached to, and “otanuvogei”
that is “joining hands together”. There is
also “idoza” that is “farming price” paid to
the bride’s family because Ebira people
are predominantly farmers. In the olden
days when every young man had to farm,
the groom and his friends appoint a day
to farm for the father of the bride but
these days because most young men
don’t farm any longer, they pay money
instead.
On the day of the Traditional Marriage,
women in the man’s family are seen
singing and dancing carrying tubers of
yams on their heads to the lady’s house.
The singing and dancing continues at their
arrival at the lady’s house where the
ceremony kicks off. The ceremony is
usually colorful with display of dances by
maiden groups mostly the bride’s friends
and by women groups. A religious leader
and the parents of the couple offer
prayers for them to bless their marriage
and a certificate is thereafter given to the
couple by the religious leader.
Thereafter, the lady is escorted by her
friends and other women to her
husband’s house with her belongings.
If you have any addition to this tradition
please let us know. Thanks
